New Year, New Year Resolutions!

Everyone makes resolutions, either for themselves, or publicly. I don't usually make any. However today on the eve of the New Year I feel the urge to attempt this, this year. What should I set as a goal? I kept asking myself all day. I thought about it and thought about it... finally, I came up with one. Next thing I knew I had a ton of ideas. Then I thought, thats too many... I just want to keep it simple and I can't do that if I choose too many!

I decided on the following New Year Resolutions:

1. I am going to do 365 days of giving thanks! Thats right, follow this blog and at the end of the month I will post my daily thanks, or what I am thankful for. Ill try to include photos and a small daily blurb of how I came up with the daily thanks! We shall see, this might be a challenge for me with the two kids, but I am going to do my best. The reason I am doing this is to try and find something positive in everyday life. We sometimes have rough days, weeks, and sometimes months. This year I want to remember the small things, and the positive things that I still have in my life. I hope this will inspire others to remember the positive, and thankful things in their lives.

2. I want this year to be a year of living healthy, working out, and getting fit. I am over weight, because of all the weight I gained during my two pregnancies, and then my knee injury didn't help either. I eventually put on WELL over 50 extra pounds. So starting in the new year, I am joining weight watchers, working; out now that my knee is (kind of) back in working order, and eating healthier. When I married my husband I was around 125 pounds. I worked out at most 6 days a week, and at least 3 days a week. I watched what I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I made meals, packed lunches, and when I couldn't pack food I purchased the healthiest item I could find. I want to get back to those choices, and remember the results that can come of it. I will say here that I would love to get back down to my 125 pound healthy body, but I would be happy to just reach 140 before the year is up. I know I can do this as long as I don't need any random surgeries, and as long as my body stays strong. Wish me luck, this one I might need just that!

Heres my past to present photos:

June 2008

July 2008

March 2012 After the birth of my first son.

July 2012

Present day, current weight.

Alright, thats it! I told you I was keeping it simple!

Hope you all have a great New Year,
Sarah

Knee Surgery Update #2!

Well, its been about 8 1/2 weeks since my surgery, and 3 months since the Disneyland/ER visit. I had my first Physical Therapy (PT) sessions on Friday December 6th. It went pretty well. In the last few weeks I have been personally, on my own at home, been working on straightening my leg and bending it as much as possible. I have a new brace (about 4 weeks old) and have been walking a lot more since my last update. I am crutch free, and I don't walk with a huge limp anymore. You can still tell my knee is injured by my walk, but its less noticeable. In other words, while I'm out shopping, people don't stop and stare at me like I am a train wreck!

Two different knee sizes, left leg is still swollen.

I put in the work, mostly after the kids went to bed at night. I would pop a pain killer and wait for it to kick in. I would then bend and straighten my knee/leg as much as I could handle. I would also sleep with a smaller pillow every week, and now I sleep with nothing under my knee. I don't support my knee at all. I use my brace when I feel a lot of pain, or when I am going out in public. I try not to use it too much around the house, and try to walk as normal as possible during the day, to help build the muscles back up. I have also noticed now with my leg that my left leg is a lot skinnier then my right, all because of the lack of muscle in it. It looks horrible, but like I said I wear a brace in public so you can't really see the size difference.

The left leg (farthest away) is the one that had surgery!

 While at my first PT session on Friday the 6th, I was able to extend my leg straighter by 10 degrees. So, within one hour of doing some small amount of exercise/therapy I was able to get my knee working even more! The physical therapist is great, and was helping to remind me that (my knee) is not going to slip anymore, that now with my rehabilitation I will need to rehabilitate my mind as well. This injury has been going on for 14 plus years, so I need to remind myself often while in PT that its not the same anymore. With this surgery and PT, my knee will be stronger, and healthier; that with this surgery and PT, I will hopefully one day be able to jump, hop, skip, or even run again. I need to get my mental state back to the "norm" and tell myself I will be able to squat again, that I will be able to run again. Only time is standing between that now, only time!

I can almost cross my legs Indian style!

 I have some exercises to do; some muscle tightening and leg bends, which I will have to try and make time for (between the two kids, house work, and Holiday stuff). However, if I want to get better then I better make the time. My new goal is to get better so I can at least walk my block and start to loose the weight. I am still sitting here with a massive amount of baby weight... ugh, and can not handle it anymore. I told my physical therapist all I want to do is run again. I miss running, as I use to be on track and field and cross country in middle school. (Middle school was when the injury happened, so I never did PT in high school, I joined band instead). This year has just been a rough one, when it comes to getting this weight off and getting my life back on track. I know this PT will help, but it looks like all my 2013 new years resolutions wont be coming true. Guess its true what they say, you just never know what life has in store for you!

With all that being said, I hope the next update is a positive one with lots of happiness and joy! I have a few more PT sessions and then Ill see my Orthopedic surgeon again, so Ill definitely update you all soon (again). Until then, I hope you all have a great winter, holiday, and New Year!

Happy Holidays Everyone,
Sarah